The Witches' Grail
by Olivia Tannis Moure
Summary: When a demon kidnaps Phoebe for the ransom of the legendary Witches' Grail, it's up to Prue, Piper, Leo, and an unsuspecting Andy, to first find the Grail, even if it takes a Medieval hop into the past to do so. AndyPrue and PiperLeo
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own the concept of the television show, _Charmed_, or its characters.

The Witches' Grail

By: Anna Bertrand

Prologue

The shadowy figure blended in with the hedges as he looked up at the second floor of the Halliwell manor. Up there, where the lamplight illuminated the bedroom, was the youngest of the Halliwell sisters, Phoebe. Malachi had watched, not quite believing his luck, as her other two sisters got into a Jeep and left for an evening out on the town. For weeks now, he'd come to the Halliwell manor, waiting for an opportunity, waiting for Phoebe to be alone. And now his quest was within his grasp. He looked up at the bedroom window again. _Enjoy your last moments of freedom, witch._

The moon overhead was a sliver of yellow, allowing him to move in darkness. He'd worn his black overcoat to conceal himself even further, the barbed stems of the hedges grabbing at the coarse material as he edged along the path to the front door.

Malachi paused as a car crawled by on the street below. The San Francisco police. The car came almost to a stop in front of the Halliwell manor. A face leaned over and peered up at the house for a short moment before driving on.

Malachi waited and watched in case the police turned around to make another pass. But the car kept going straight, and finally the red taillights faded from view.

He was proud of his patience. It wasn't easy. Ever since Langham had spoken of the Wiccan Grail while in his death throes, he'd been obsessed. Powerful beyond all your dreams, Langham had said of the Grail as the fever caused him twist and turn on the bed. In his fevered confessions Langham had spoken of ancient temples, runes, and it was soon apparent that along his mystic journeys he'd found that the ancestors of the Charmed Ones had inherited the legendary Grail; to keep it safe from the likes of Malachi and his sort, no doubt.

Malachi smiled. The thought of stealing the relic from those do-gooders was intoxicating. Of course, it was a shame that Langham was no longer around to reap the benefits of his own efforts; even more a pity that Malachi was not a sharing demon, and the point of his dagger had ended both Langham's fever and his life.

Malachi grinned. If the Grail was indeed obtainable—and by now he was certain it was—by the end of the week it would most likely be in his possession.

He clenched his fists, trying not to become overly anxious. He forced himself to breath evenly. And with one last look around, he walked up the front steps and to the stained glass door.

The porch light was dim but he wanted total darkness, so he swept his hand up and across and the light went out.

He closed his eyes and concentrated, then he passed through the front door as if it were air. It was a silent entry. He did not want to alert the witch to his presence, to his intent. He entered the foyer and crept up the staircase, the lights blinking out as he passed. Malachi stopped in front of the door he knew to be Phoebe's. In the dark hallway the golden light spilled from the bottom of her door, illuminating his black boots.

In his hand he conjured a shimmering, watery surface; and cupping his hands together, he formed it into a sphere.

Then, he opened the door.

xXx

When the door flew open, Phoebe was sitting at the vanity brushing her hair. The hairbrush dropped from her hand as she startled, staring at the red-haired man in the doorway. He was smirking as he drew his hand from behind his back, producing the clear, watery sphere.

She stood and readied herself to place a well-aimed kick in the intruder's face.

"There's no time for that," he told her, as he threw the sphere at her.

Phoebe ducked and the sphere flew overhead, missing her by inches. But then she gasped. The sphere had stopped, turned, and now hovered over her. She was just about to somersault onto the bed and away from the strange ball when it suddenly burst, raining its clear liquid onto her head and shoulders. She put her hand up to deflect the sulfurous-smelling water and keep it away from her face, but as she did, the liquid began to arrange itself back into the sphere, surrounding her within its bubble. She kicked and punched the watery membrane but it would not give.

Breathing hard, she glared at the man she now knew was a demon, cursing him. Her voice warbled as if submerged under water. Inside the sphere, her surroundings had taken on the same dreamy, underwater effect; it was lulling her despite her best efforts to fight on.

Phoebe watched through half-closed eyes as the red-haired demon walked toward her. In rebellion, she clenched her jaws and brought her fists up to the wall of the sphere where they landed with a soft thud.

He laughed at the attempt. Then he waved his hand in front of her face and she slumped against the sphere, unconscious.

"Good night, witch," he whispered. And then the sphere began to shrink until finally it fit into the palm of his hand. He put it in the pocket of his overcoat and patted it, supremely proud of himself.

Malachi walked down the stairs and out the front door, not bothering this time to pass through it, but instead, slamming it shut with a certain amount of satisfaction.

xXx

Note: Chapter 1 will be posted on Monday as I need a few days to outline. Next week will begin a regular schedule of segments. Hope you enjoy.

---Anna


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter One

"That's funny…" Piper said, as she unbuckled her seat belt. She was looking up at the front door of the house.

"Hmm?" Prue murmured, reaching for her handbag and stepping from the Jeep.

"I know we left the porch light on." Piper glanced around to see a few other lights on in neighbors' windows and porches, so the electricity was working there… "I just replaced the bulb—"

Prue just shrugged. "Probably Phoebe turned it off by mistake."

"Maybe," Piper said, but she picked up her step until Prue had to run to catch up with her at the front door.

Slightly out of breath, Prue gripped the arm of Piper's jacket, "We shouldn't panic."

But Piper kept fumbling with the keys, trying to find that long skeletal key and fit it into the lock, only to drop them on Prue's sandaled foot.

"Okay, you know what?" Prue said, immediately bending and removing the keys from her foot. "We're going to feel like two complete idiots when we wake her up with all this noise." Her fingers found the house key and she slid the key into the lock and turned, nearly finding herself sprawled out on the foyer floor as Piper pushed her in the back.

"Oh, Good God," she huffed, stumbling before finding her footing on the slick floor.

But Piper was going from one switch panel to another, flipping the light switches up and down. "None of the lights work—"

"I'll get the flashlights," Prue whispered, slipping off her sandals. She padded over to the desk and took two from the drawer, and instantly there were wide circles of yellowish light. She handed one to Piper and they crept upstairs.

The upstairs hallway was dark but for the thin band of light coming from underneath Phoebe's bedroom door, and both let out a relieved breath.

"Must be the circuit breakers," Prue said. She gently rapped on Phoebe's door.

"Just go in," Piper told her anxiously.

"Ummm, rules of privacy. Remember?" But she opened the door anyway, stepping to the side this time to avoid Piper's shove to the back.

The small crystal lamp on Phoebe's vanity bathed the room in warm light: the overturned vanity chair, the empty but disheveled bed, the hairbrush on the floor. Phoebe's purse and keys were on the dresser, same place she always tossed them when coming home. Seeing her younger sister's personal items lying abandoned caused Piper's chest to tighten. She turned to Prue. "Can we panic now?"

Prue bit her lower lip. "I'll check all the downstairs rooms, and the basement. You check the second floor and attic."

"I think we should stay together," Piper said. As much as she didn't want to make a trip down to the basement, she couldn't let Prue go it alone.

Prue didn't argue. "Come on, then."

Fifteen minutes later they'd searched the house from attic to basement, but no Phoebe. They went back to Phoebe's room where Prue sat on the bed while Piper paced the floor. The constant movement helped Piper think; adrenalin raced through her limbs and if she didn't release the pent up energy she was sure she'd crawl out of her skin. They should be doing somethingother than wasting time in Phoebe's room with its constant reminders of her disappearance. Yet they'd been drawn back here, to the scene of the crime as Andy would say.

Piper bent and picked up Phoebe's hairbrush from the floor, trying not to notice the dark hair woven through the bristles. She always brushed her hair before going to bed. Piper looked at her wristwatch, 2:15 a.m... Sometime between nine o'clock and two something had happened.

Suddenly Piper was exhausted; her head ached as she fought back tears. With Phoebe's brush still in her hand she sat down beside Prue. "Do you want to go up and look through the Book of Shadows?"

Prue sighed. "And ask it what's going on? Who took Phoebe? Where is she?" She shook her head. "Right now I'd trade it in on a crystal ball."

Piper stood up. "Well, I can't stay in here any longer." She put the hairbrush on the vanity. "I can't…look at her stuff anymore." She picked the toppled chair up off the floor and set it upright. _And she couldn't bear seeing the signs of an apparent struggle_.

Prue pointed. "What's that on your shoes?"

Piper looked down at her flats where water beaded and glistened, and then another drop fell and rolled off the black leather. It was coming off the arm of the chair she'd just picked up. Running her fingers along the length of the carved wood, she gathered a few droplets in her hand and then shook her hand free of the liquid. It had curled into a ball! Prue gasped and knelt to the floor, looking for the strange substance.

Piper sniffed her fingers and then wrinkled her nose. "Demon."

Prue felt along the arm of the chair, but it was dry now. "Maybe we were meant to find it, like some kind of demonic calling card. But if a demon wanted her dead…then that's what we would've found…"

Piper nodded. "She's still alive. I have to believe that."

"I think whoever took her wants something in return. Breaking the Power of Three doesn't seem to be the motive."

"It could be revenge," Piper mused aloud.

"No, I don't think so. It looks more like leverage. They want something from us. Otherwise, why take her? Anyway, the Book of Shadows should help us now."

"Yeah," Piper said, looking around the room.

"Stop feeling guilty," Prue told her. "We can't live our lives shackled to one another twenty-four hours a day."

Piper took a deep breath. "I know. But someone has our little sister…and she's all alone in this."

"Think of it this way, Piper. If I know Phoebe, someone's got one pissed off witch on their hands."

Piper's eyes narrowed, "No, someone's got _three_ pissed off witches on their hands."

Prue smiled. "I'm going downstairs to the circuit box to see if I can get the lights back on. I'll meet you in the attic." At the bedroom door she turned to Piper. "Sure you're okay?"

"I will be." And for a few seconds she listened to Prue's footsteps on the stairway going down.

Piper pulled a tissue from the box on the vanity and wiped her hand frantically. Impulsively she grabbed a bottle of Phoebe's perfume from the vanity and sprayed her hand, then sprayed into the air around her. But still, she couldn't rid herself of the stench of sulfur.

xXx


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 2

Piper was bent over the Book of Shadows when Prue walked through the door into the attic.

"Well, it's not the circuit breakers. Must be a short in the wiring."

But Piper was absorbed in the Book of Shadows. "I'm sure Leo can fix it… Look, I think we found our demon…you're not going to like it," she said, staring down at the open page.

Prue crossed the floor, "Since when do I like _any_ demon?" She looked down at the page where Piper pointed, then frowned. "An Elemental Demon. Great."

Piper looked at her sister. "A water demon. Kind of explains the mess, doesn't it?"

"Yeah," Prue agreed. "It says here that his name is Malachi and he has the power to imprison others in spheres of water." She read further. "Oh no, this can't be right. If we banish Malachi while he holds Phoebe in his sphere of water, we lose her as well…she'll drown."

"I told you that you weren't going to like it."

Prue read the rest of the page. "There's nothing here about what he might want from us. I mean, he's not your average demon. He lives in the deeper parts of the underworld and they usually keep to themselves, content with ruling their lesser demons. What could he possibly want with Phoebe?"

Piper shrugged. "I don't know. But there _is_ a recipe for a potion…a pretty potent one at that."

Prue rolled her eyes. "A lot of good that's going to do us while he has Phoebe."

"We'll figure something out," Piper said, going to the chair and curling up with the blanket. "I'm so tired. You know, I think I'm just going to get a few hours of sleep up here." She didn't want to go back to her dark bedroom across from Phoebe's empty one.

Prue nodded; she went and pulled another chair close to Piper's. "You're going to have to share that blanket," she said, tugging on the end of the blanket until they were both covered. And within a few minutes both were sound asleep.

xXx

The ringing of the doorbell woke them both later. Piper looked at her watch. Seven-thirty. Barely four hours of sleep.

"Who?—" Prue asked groggily.

But they both hurried down the stairs to the front door and opened it.

Andy stood there grinning. He glanced down at Prue's sleeveless black dress from the night before, then at own his jeans and athletic shoes. "I feel a little under-dressed for our breakfast date."

Prue held her forehead, "Oh, Andy, I forgot about that."

Andy looked disappointed. "You forgot? I reminded you just yesterday."

"I know. I know."

"So what's the problem? Get some shoes on and let's go." He said, smiling.

Prue winced. "I can't leave right now."

Andy cocked his head and was just about to say something when behind him a voice called out. "Hey, Andy." They all looked to see Leo coming up the walkway, blond hair almost blinding in the sun.

Piper waved at Leo over Andy's shoulder. She looked down at her own dark blue dress from the night before. She smoothed her hand over the silky material. It was clingy and wrinkled. But what did she expect?—she'd just slept in it.

With his hands on his hips, Andy nodded at him. "Good morning, Leo."

Piper leaned over and took Andy's arm. "Come in, Andy. You too, Leo."

Leo stood at the door and smiled down at Piper. "I wasn't going to come by until tomorrow, but I was in the area."

"No, I'm glad you stopped by. We have an electrical problem." Piper closed the door behind him. "We've been up nearly all night. You know how it is…every little noise wakes you."

Hearing this, Andy seemed to lose his agitation. He turned to Prue. "You should've called me. I got off work around midnight; I could've come over."

Prue shook her head. "You worked late and I didn't want to disturb you."

"I'd rather you call me when something like this happens—"

Prue couldn't help but smile. He was so protective. But then, he'd always been like that, even when they were kids.

And after three months of recently being broken up, she didn't want anymore secrets between them. Today was to be the day when she finally told Andy the truth. Their breakfast date was to serve that purpose—and he knew there was something she wanted to talk to him about, and he knew it was serious. But he didn't know just how serious or life-changing it would be. She prayed he would take it in stride. _You're in love with a witch. Nevermind that you don't believe in such things, witches and demons._ _But I am what I am_. _So will you accept me or will you turn your back on me?_ She was supposed to find out today, this very morning. But now she didn't see how they were going to have that talk—not the way she'd wanted it: in their favorite restaurant, just the two of them.

Piper was making her way to the kitchen. "I'm going to put coffee on and scramble some eggs." She looked back at her guests. "There's no reason why we can't have breakfast here."

Prue stared after her. _No, no reason at all_.

xXx

"Ah," Leo said. "Here's the problem." He had taken the light fixtures down from the wall in the upstairs hall. Wires protruded from holes like black worms.

Piper had just come from her bedroom, freshly showered, clean clothes. She tucked her long, damp hair behind her ears and stood up on her tip-toes to see what he was talking about.

"See?" he pointed to the dark circle on the wall with his screwdriver. "Water stains, just like downstairs. There's a leak somewhere." He put his screwdriver back in his tool belt. "Is there a door to the attic around here?"

Piper sputtered, "Umm, yeah, but you don't want to go up there. It's a mess." _And there's a certain book up there that you wouldn't know where to begin to understand._

Leo grinned at her. "Attics usually are messy. People use them for storage and stuff."

"I know, but the water didn't come from the attic…it came from somewhere else."

Leo looked at her as if he didn't know whether she was kidding or not.

"Prue and I were just up there this morning and the roof was fine." Why was he still looking at her that way? It was the truth, damn it.

"Okay, okay. If you don't want me to go up in the attic, I won't. But people usually hide their skeletons in the basement, not the attic," he laughed.

Piper crossed her arms and looked at him. "Funny, I thought it was the closet."

He leaned against the wall, a little closer to her, "You got me there."

His nearness was intoxicating. She breathed in the smell of fresh-cut grass and leather.

There was nothing she could think of to say. Maybe words didn't matter. Maybe words only got in the way as she noticed that his green eyes didn't waver from her face. Oh surely he felt it too, this strange sensation, this magnetic pull whenever they were together.

He reached over and tucked a stray strand of damp hair behind her ear, his finger grazing the lobe and sending shivers down her neck. He leaned in and her eyes half shut in a dreamy haze. She watched as his lips formed her name, and then he gently kissed her.

xXx


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 3

"There you are," Prue said at the top of the stairs. But then she blushed, realizing she'd just crashed the intimate scene between Piper and Leo.

They parted instantly, hand to mouth as if covering the evidence.

With her hand on the stair rail, Prue backed down the stairs, "It's not important. I can come back later." And then she turned and fled the remaining steps, none too subtly.

"Yeah…" Piper said, again at a loss for words.

Leo looked down at his feet. "I, uh, need some new wire out of the toolbox." He couldn't quite meet her eyes. He started down the stairs and then stopped and turned. "Thank you."

"Thank you?" Piper repeated, not understanding at first, but then she realized he meant for the kiss. "Oh, that…yeah, a pleasure."

Leo smiled deviously. "That it was."

xXx

Andy was sitting on the sofa in the living room when Prue went back downstairs. She sat down next to him and huffed. "As big as this house is, sometimes I think it's way too small for the three of us."

Andy lifted an eyebrow in confusion.

She smiled. "I believe Piper and Leo finally connected and I just interrupted their _moment_, if you know what I mean…"

"Ooh." He put his arm around her shoulder. "Don't worry," he told her, "if there's an attraction, there'll be a lot more of those 'moments'. You didn't ruin anything—at least not permanently."

Prue had the feeling that Andy wasn't talking only about Piper and Leo.

"I'm really surprised that it wasn't Phoebe that interrupted them," he said. And Prue laughed, remembering that it was Phoebe that had walked in on them when Andy had slept over for the first time. That was when the Rules of Privacy were made and agreed to.

"Speaking of Phoebe, I've never known her to pass up breakfast and good company. Where is she?" he asked.

"Yeah, where is Phoebe?" Leo asked, coming down the stairs. "I fixed her radio. It's in my bag."

"She's away for a few days," Prue said, attempting to sound cheerful. It wasn't without effort. Breakfast without Phoebe had been depressing, even with the comforting presence of Andy and Leo.

Leo returned holding the small pink rectangle in his hand. "These radios keep getting smaller and smaller. It's amazing."

Prue and Andy looked at one another, trying not to laugh. "Leo," Prue said, "that's not a radio, it's an mp3 player."

Staring down at the pink gadget, Leo turned red.

"Although," Andy was quick to point out, "they do make radios this small."

"Okay, well, I'll leave it here for her." Leo handed the gadget to Prue.

"I'm sure she appreciates you fixing it, Leo." Prue rose from the sofa. "I'll put it up in her room for her."

"I'm going up. Do you want me to put it in her room?" Leo asked.

Prue handed the player back to Leo. "That'd be great, thanks."

Piper was standing on a stool looking at the water stains when Leo came up the stairs. The slimy film the water had the night before was gone and she didn't detect any sulfurous odor in the plaster. Small miracles. She wondered what Leo would have thought about that rancid smell and what amounted to demon ectoplasm when he went to fix the lights.

"Have you figured it out yet?" He asked, grinning at her curiosity.

"What? Oh, you mean…nevermind." She stepped off the stool. "I'll leave the handyman work to you."

"Which room is Phoebe's?" He held the pink player up. "I fixed her mp3 player."

"That door," she pointed across the hall.

Piper heard him enter Phoebe's room and say "Whoa!"

She scrambled after him, coming to an abrupt halt when she saw the mess on the vanity.

It was the same slimy water as before, on the mirror, the top of the vanity; it oozed down over the drawers and the hardwood floors. But the message, smeared letters written with Phoebe's red lipstick, slashed through the slime as if it were carved into the mirror itself:

**Phoebe**

**The Witches' Grail**

**72 hours**

"What's going on?" Leo asked, incredulously.

But Piper just closed her eyes and shook her head. "I can't explain right now. It's not that I don't trust you…I have to talk to Prue first." She turned to him and saw the concern on his face. "But we could sure use your help."

xXx


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 4

"I'll do whatever I can," Leo said. His eyes kept going from Piper to the cryptic message on the mirror.

"Then please don't say anything about this to Andy."

"Andy?" Leo said, puzzled.

"He'll want to get the police involved. And I seriously doubt we'd be able to stop him from filing a report, as good as his intentions might be…"

"…And you're afraid that getting the police involved will jeopardize Phoebe," Leo mused aloud.

"I'm sure of it," Piper said.

"Then that settles it; the police won't find out. And that includes Andy." He paused before adding, "But I'm not leaving you and Prue alone in this house, not while this is going on."

He had that worried, squinty-look that she found irresistible at all times except this one. They couldn't allow him to stay and witness the things he was bound to witness. She had to be tough. "Leo…"

"Sorry, Piper, but I'm not."

"If you're going to help us, you'll have to."

He stared at her for a long moment, then changed his course, "When did it happen, the kidnapping?"

"Sometime last night while Prue and I were out to dinner." She pointed to the vanity, "He left this sometime today, probably early morning while we were asleep."

He mumbled something under his breath, something she couldn't quite catch, something about it being his fault. But she must not have heard him right. Then he bent down and picked up the tube of lipstick from the floor, getting the slime on his hand. "What _is_ this stuff?" he asked, shaking it from his hand.

"Gross—that's what it is," Piper answered.

"Well, he's trying to scare you with all these theatrics." Leo crossed his arms. "Piper, you're on really thin ice." He gestured at the mirror, "What if Andy had been the one to stumble across this ransom note."

Piper nodded. She knew Leo wasn't scolding her as much as fearing for her. That undercurrent of deep concern had been there from the start, from the very first day. And it had only grown ever since.

As if unable to keep from voicing his fears, his hand went up to grip his head and he said under his breath, "Even worse, what if that monster had grabbed _you_?"

Impulsively, she pulled his head down to hers and kissed him. After a moment, she pulled back, her breathing shallow. It didn't seem fair to find happiness in the middle of all this chaos. She had to get moving; they only had seventy-two hours. And she had no idea what the hell a Witches' Grail was…

She looked up at Leo, their faces mere inches apart. "Can you get Andy out of the house for a while?"

He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and gently squeezed. "Yeah."

xXx

Note: It's taken me two and a half months to figure out that disables Anonymous reviewers and that you have to over-ride it yourself (along with the profanity filter). So I'm now able to receive Anonymous posts _and_ you can sling profanity there—it's such a cool world, isn't it?

--Anna


	6. Chapter 6

PART TWO:

DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE

Chapter 5

When Leo went downstairs, Andy and Prue were snuggled up on the sofa, Prue's head on Andy's shoulder. He felt an initial pang of guilt; he liked Andy. But he couldn't chance Andy complicating things with the Charmed Ones. It had to be done.

Both their heads swiveled around when he approached.

"Hey Andy, could you drive me down to the hardware store? I need a couple of things to finish this electrical job."

Andy glanced at Prue; his reluctance to move from her side was apparent. But she gave him a brief nod, so he smiled and said, "Sure, Leo. No problem."

"I really appreciate this," Leo told Andy as they walked out the front door.

xXx

Piper crept down the stairs and seeing that the guys had already left, motioned for Prue to come up. "He was here again," she told Prue as they paused at Phoebe's bedroom door.

"Who? Malachi?"

Piper nodded and sighed. "You were right, he does want something. And we have only seventy-two hours to make the trade."

Prue reached out to turn the knob, but Piper stopped her. "There's something else…Leo knows."

"_What_?" But then Prue remembered, "Oh no, he returned the player…" And then she covered her face with her hands. "He's probably telling Andy about it right now—"

"No, he's not. Actually, he's helping us. I asked him to keep Andy away until we can clean this mess up and figure out what we're going to do."

"You do know that if I shut Andy out again it will be over between us," Prue whispered.

"What are you waiting for? If you love and trust him, tell him the truth about us…" Piper said. "Tell him about the world we live in and fight for. The timing may not be perfect, but it will clear up a lot of things both past and present."

"And if he doesn't accept us…for what we are?" Prue asked.

Piper clutched Prue's hand. "He loves you. It's going to be a helluva shock at first. But he loves you, and that's all that will matter in the end."

Prue took a deep breath. "What does Malachi want?"

"I don't know. I'm hoping you know what it is he wants."

Prue opened the door and went in.

xXx

Andy found a parking space at the hardware store and turned off the car. "Okay, what's on the list? I figure we can knock it out in half the time if I help."

Leo placed his arm on the back of the seats, his hand behind Andy's headrest. "Yeah, that's a good idea. But I have a better one." His hand behind Andy's head began to glow. "I was thinking that you look tired, Andy, and that maybe you need to…_sleep_." And instantly Andy's head rolled back on the headrest.

"I'm sorry, friend, please forgive me," Leo told the sleeping Andy. Then he took the car keys from Andy's hand and got out of the car.

xXx

When Prue saw the message on the mirror, she grimaced in disgust. "Witches' Grail? I've never even heard of a Witches' Grail. And he expects us to have it?"

Piper shrugged. "I don't think we should tell him that we don't have it—"

"What do you want to do, then? Give him a wine glass from the kitchen cupboard?" Prue was fuming. She wanted so desperately to nail the bastard to the wall. Him with his demands…taking Phoebe and destroying her room with his despicable slime.

Prue went to the bathroom and glanced at the towel on the rack; instantly it flew to her hand. Taking the towel back to Phoebe's bedroom, she spread it on the floor in front of the vanity and then allowed her rage to clear the slimy water from the mirror, the top of the vanity.

Slightly envious, Piper stood back and watched Prue focus her anger. This was therapy in action.

Cosmetics, hairbrush, everything that once sat on Phoebe's vanity crashed onto the towel, until the vanity was clean and empty with no traces that vandalism had ever happened. Then Prue stepped forward and gathered the towel into a ball and threw it in the wastebasket.

"Feel better now?" Piper asked.

"A little," Prue said, and then she turned around and stomped from the room, Piper hurrying after her.

"Prue?"

No answer.

"Prue?"

Again no answer.

Prue climbed the half flight of stairs to the attic and marched over to the Book of Shadows. "If a demon knows what a Witches' Grail is, then the Book should know." She waved her hand over the pages and they fluttered wildly, causing a breeze in the attic that ruffled their hair. And then after a few seconds, the pages settled.

Looking down at the page, both Prue and Piper gasped.

xXx

Leo orbed into the Halliwell house and listened closely. They were in the attic. He could hear the faintest of footsteps coming from there. He orbed again, this time behind the attic door where he could hear their conversation.

They were discussing a spell for time travel. He leaned closer to the door and heard Piper's worried voice.

"I can't believe this. Are you sure there's no other way?"

"There's only the spell. You have to admit…it's pretty damn smart hiding the Grail in the past. Inconvenient for us, but smart."

"You know, I can see them hiding it the past, say, a hundred years or two hundred years…but Prue, the Eleventh century?"

Behind the door, Leo's eyes widened and he nearly lost his balance. This was much bigger than he'd originally thought. It also made Andy a greater liability. He had no choice; he'd have to seek guidance from a higher source. He'd have to request an immediate counsel with Gideon.

For the third time in less than ten minutes, he closed his eyes and orbed.

xXx


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Six

Leo met Gideon in the cloud-hazed Longhall. Above his long white robe, Gideon's face was tense with concern. "Leo…You called for an urgent meeting?"

Leo replied solemnly, "Unfortunately, yes. We have a situation with the Charmed Ones." He paused, not wanting to confess his failure; he felt badly enough. "Last night, I answered a distress call from one of the new Whitelighters, and while I was away, Phoebe Halliwell was kidnapped by the Elemental demon, Malachi."

"Malachi?" Gideon's voice was mildly surprised. "He's powerful to be sure, but usually he's only an annoyance. What does he want with a Charmed One?"

"He's using Phoebe as a pawn. What he really wants is The Witches' Grail."

Gideon's head snapped up. _"The Grail?_ Good God! Surely we would have heard if he was after the Grail…our eyes and ears are everywhere. Do you know that it's Malachi for absolute certain?—most believe the Grail to be merely legend."

"It's Malachi's work," Leo confirmed. And then he told Gideon of the message in Phoebe's mirror, and of Piper and Prue's intent to go back in the past to retrieve the Witches' Grail. And before he could finish giving Gideon the full report, his mentor was fishing in his robe pockets.

"There's no time to waste," he told Leo as he produced a pendant with a thick gold chain from his pocket. "Take this," he put the pendant in Leo's hand. "It will bind you to the spell the sister's will use to time travel. You must not allow them to go alone, they will not have powers there."

"They'll be vulnerable?" Leo asked.

Gideon nodded anxiously. "And they won't realize it until they try to use their powers—perhaps not until they are in a dangerous position and actually need them to survive." He wiped at his forehead. "It's imperative that you follow the laws of time travel, Leo. A tremendous amount is at stake here. Malachi _must not_ get his hands on the Grail. If he takes it into the Underworld…the shift in power would swing into evil's favor."

"I understand," Leo said. "But if trading the Grail for Phoebe isn't an option, how are we going to get Phoebe back?" It seemed inconceivable to Leo to leave Phoebe in the hands of Malachi. It made no sense. Denying the demon his ransom would bring about Phoebe's death before they could save her.

Gideon stared at Leo for a moment before his voice took a harsh and authoritative tone. "Your first responsibility is to safeguard the Witches' Grail. Any witch in that long line of Warren descendants would recognize the need to protect the Grail at all costs. Protect the Grail and the Halliwells, but there will be no exchange for Phoebe. Do I make myself clear?"

Leo's eyes flashed. "Very."

Gideon's shoulders relaxed and his voice softened. "I appreciate your devotion to your charges…I admire it, really. However, you must not let emotions get in the way of the ultimate goal of Good. Sacrifices have always and will always be made in the name of Good."

"But Gideon…"

Gideon sighed. "You will obtain the Grail and not relinquish it to the sisters. Then, you will bring it to me for safekeeping. If you find you cannot abide by my directions, I will assign another Whitelighter." He stepped forward and reached to take the pendant from Leo's hand, but Leo closed his fist around it and quickly said. "There's no problem."

Gideon searched Leo's face for a long moment, then said, "Fine. Do as I ask of you." Then he folded his arms. "As for the young Whitelighter you helped last night, I'll expect a full report when you return. The new Whitelighter will be discharged since he or she did not come to us for help, but enlisted you instead. It is an infraction that cannot go unpunished. Especially since this crisis has resulted and may yet prove to be disastrous. Your own punishment, or lack thereof, will depend on how well you perform this task."

"I'd better get going, then," Leo said. He had to put some distance between himself and his mentor before he gave in to the impulse to strangle him. Maybe, given time and distance, he would understand Gideon's reasoning a little better. Regardless, he was bound by Whitelighter Law to obey Gideon's directions.

"Oh Leo, one last thing," Gideon called out as Leo was preparing to orb. "Take Nicodemus with you."

"_Nicodemus_? Gideon! He might intimidate the girls worse than Malachi." Leo wondered if Gideon simply did not trust him with carrying out the directions.

Gideon smiled, his humor restored. "That he might. But you still want him by your side should you run into trouble."

"He's the best," Leo conceded. "And I could use his experience."

But if Gideon thought Nicodemus would bully Leo into staying in line, then he didn't know Nicodemus at all. Nicodemus would go to Hell and back for his closest friends—as a warrior in his previous life, he retained that bond with his brotherhood of Whitelighters.

Leo smiled as he thought of the girls' reaction to his fellow Whitelighter and friend. Of course, having Nicodemus around might make Piper stick even closer to his side.

"Yeah, I think Nicodemus is the obvious choice," he told Gideon just before he orbed out.

xXx


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Seven

When Leo got back to the car, Andy was still slumped in the driver's seat asleep. But the broad-shouldered figure in the backseat was not, and he grinned out the back window at Leo as he walked up. Once Leo was in the passenger seat, the huge man leaned over the seats and clasped Leo's forearm in a lock of friendship. His deep, base voice filled the car, "I tell you, it's great working with you again, my friend."

"Good to see you, Nick," Leo said, and his eyes were inevitably drawn to his friend's much larger arm and hand with its tapestry of tattooed symbols and drawings. Not an inch of flesh tone peeked through or around the ink, so that they were like sleeves of combined images under the white tee-shirt he wore.

"Man, oh, man. When Giddy told me I'd be coming along with you…_and where_…I thought I'd died and gone to Heaven again."

Leo smiled at Nick's nick-name for Gideon. Only Nicodemus could get away with calling an Elder "Giddy". "I'm glad to have you," he told Nick. "It might be a tough mission."

"Well, you know I'm always up for it."

Leo nodded. "I figured as much."

Nick stuck his thumb toward Andy. "Hey, what's his story? Did you give him a sleeping draught or something?"

"No—"

"Don't tell me you gave him a piece of knuckle?"

"No, no. He's a nice guy; I gave him a Whitelighter nap." Leo raised his hand and for a brief second his hand glowed.

"Ahhhh. Should've known you'd not do something like that," Nick said, leaning back in the seat. "So we're going after The Grail…God, how I miss those days." He threw his massive hands in the air, "When do we leave?"

"As soon as we take this guy back to his apartment. He's not supposed to see anything—if you know what I mean?"

Nick's laughter rumbled in his chest. "These mortals…if they knew half of what went on around them, the Looney houses would be full."

"Yeah, that reminds me. The Halliwell sisters…it would be helpful if you toned it down a little."

"Come on, Leo. You should know me by now; I'm a pussycat around women."

"Yeah, I know. But actually I was thinking about the facial jewelry…"

"And that reminds me—" Nick said, reaching down below the seat and tossing a bag over to Leo. "Compliments of Giddy."

Leo opened the bag and peered inside. "You've got to be kidding me."

xXx

"Isn't it a little odd that the all Warren witches were very close to our size?" Piper asked as she held up a dress from the open trunk.

"Not odd," Prue replied, "Lucky." She held up a striking green dress the color of a forest at dusk; and the color of her eyes. "It's not like we can go back in jeans or mini-skirts."

"But even these dresses are at least four centuries too modern," Piper said. "And I'm having trouble finding one that doesn't have moth holes."

Prue quickly inspected the green dress for holes and exhaled sharply when she found none. The material had a slightly glossy sheen and a smooth texture; maybe the moths hadn't found it appetizing. Remarkably, there wasn't so much as a rip or tear in the dress. She threw the dress over her shoulder and leaned in to help Piper find a dress in the trunk, but it was soon apparent that most of the old clothing, particularly closer to the bottom of the trunk, was rotting; each piece nearly disintegrating when they tugged it from the trunk.

Piper rocked back on her knees. "What am I going to do? We don't have time to go to the costume store."

However, Prue had an idea. Piper might balk at the suggestion, but they were running out of options. "Come on," she told Piper and they went to the hall closet on the second floor. There, Prue pushed to the back of the closet, returning with a heavy clothes hanger wrapped with a plastic sheath.

"Tell me that's not what I think it is—" Piper grumbled.

"She wouldn't mind," Prue said. "Besides, if I remember correctly, it has a medieval style to it, very Maid Marion." She lifted the plastic film and they both went silent. The creamy white material was embroidered with silver stitching down the front; the same stitching also graced the loose tie-belt that hung at the hips. Along the square neckline tiny seed pearls were sewn into intricate patterns. The sleeves were fitted to the elbow but then opened and fell into a long, deep V. "They call these "romance sleeves"," Prue said, thinking aloud.

"I can't," Piper whispered. "Anyway, it's yours now; the gown you'll be married in. I can't traipse around God-knows-where in your wedding gown. I'd die if I ruined it."

Prue shook her head. "It will always be Mom's; I'd just be borrowing it." She looked at Piper. "Don't you think Mom would give up any dress to save her daughter? To save Phoebe, don't you think I would too?" She pulled Piper's arm forward and gingerly draped the dress over it. "Go put it on. We have to go."

xXx

Just a Note: I took liberties with Patti's wedding dress and I've added new characters (again). More proof that I'll never be "pure canon". More importantly, thank you to those who took the time to read thus far and write reviews. It _is_ appreciated.

—Anna


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Eight

Leo pushed open Andy's apartment door for Nick since he carried Andy across his shoulders.

"Duck," he told Nick.

But Nick was already stooping, looking at the doorframe distrustfully. "I always do with these modern doors. It's a shame they can't accommodate a man over seven feet tall anymore."

Leo glanced around Andy's apartment: chrome and black leather furniture; shelves loaded with stereo equipment with so many blinking lights and levers and knobs that it made his head spin. To the right of the shelves, several photos sat on a chrome and glass table. He picked up a particular one, smiling. It was Prue and Andy as kids, around seven or eight years old. Piper sat on the floor in front of them, frowning up at the camera; a cherubic toddler sat in her lap, grinning. Even at that tender age, it was unmistakably Phoebe. The photo was shot at the Halliwell manor; the old peach Victorian wallpaper was still up on the walls.

"Nice pad," Nick said, looking at the black and white prints hanging on the walls. "I get tired of the same 'ole fluffy white clouds in my room."

Leo smiled and shook his head at Nick's comment as he put the photo back on the table. The rest of the photos were of Andy and Prue in more present times: a trip to the Zoo, holding hands, smiling at one another. There was something unspoken between them, something caught by the camera lens that had its own magnetic force. Leo felt another twinge of guilt—he was looking in on Andy's life, intruding on his apartment and home, while he hung across Nick's shoulders unconscious.

He turned. Nick was waiting patiently behind him.

"Let's put him to bed and get out of here," Leo said.

"Yeah. Which way?"

Leo looked around. The kitchen was off to the right, but that still left three doors off the living room, any of which could be the bedroom. He tried the door closest to where he stood. A closet.

"Try that one," he pointed to the door closest to Nick. But just as he said those words, the pendant around his neck began to pulsate. "_Oh no, they're leaving!_"

Nick turned around and lumbered toward Andy.

"No, Nick! Put him down!" Leo shouted. But it was too late. Nick, along with Andy, was starting to grow fuzzy and move in slow motion. They were teleporting and there was no turning back.

xXx

It was as though they were spinning down through the earth. A kaleidoscope of colors swirled overhead as Leo's stomach lurched with the sensation of falling from a great distance.

And just when he thought it would never end…they landed.

It was both a soft and hard landing. He laid there for a moment with his eyes closed; the landing had knocked the wind from his lungs. And something, he realized suddenly, was scratching at his face and arms. He wiped at his face so that he could open his eyes, and when he got a good look at where he was, he roared with laughter.

They'd landed in a haystack; in what could only be some sort of livestock stable.

"Nick?" he called. There was movement underneath the straw a few feet from him. Still laughing, he crawled over and began to part the straw.

"Hey, man, I'm over here."

Leo turned to see Nick sitting up, one hand clutching the front of Andy's shirt, the other brushing the hay from his long blond hair. "What a rush!" Nick bellowed, shaking his hair free. "We've _got_ to do this more often."

Leo's mouth dropped open, "Then who—?"

He turned back to the moving lump underneath the hay, watching with fascination as a dark head emerged from the straw and sputtered. She blinked and wiped at her eyes as though she were seeing a mirage.

"_Leo?"_

xXx


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Nine

Piper looked past Leo and saw Andy being held by a large man. "Andy's here, too?" she wailed. Looking closer, she saw that Andy wasn't so much as being held as being propped up—and his eyes were closed. "What's _wrong_ with him?"

Nick and Leo both answered at the same time: "_Nothing_!"

Piper covered her eyes with her hand. Something had gone very wrong with the spell. Prue was going to have a melt-down when she discovered Andy and Leo had been sucked into the spell, too. She looked behind her. And just where was Prue anyway?

"Prue? Prue, honey?" she began to call.

"Maybe she—" Leo started to say.

"Shhhh!" Piper said and slapped at the hay with her palm.

There was a groan coming from one of the stalls several feet away from them.

"—is in one of the stalls," Leo finished, smiling sheepishly.

Piper scrambled to her feet and went to the stall. She bent down looking underneath where a six inch gap between the stall floor and wall allowed her to see Prue leaning against the plank wall, clearly disoriented. But what took her breath was the large muscular horse that was stamping and weaving within inches of Prue, spooked by her presence in its stall.

Piper put her hands up to freeze the horse, but nothing happened. "Oh, no." She tried again to freeze the horse. Nothing. If anything the horse became more agitated, snorting and stamping at the stall floor forcefully.

"Oh God, Prue. Be still. Be very still." She tried the door but it was bolted shut. And the wall was at least six feet high… Frustrated, Piper looked around for something to pry the door open with. She had to get Prue out of there before the horse trampled her.

Leo and Nick had followed her over. Seeing the dilemma Prue was in, Nick motioned for Piper to stand back. At first, she had no intentions of leaving her sister's side, but then Leo whispered, "Let Nick help her." And so she reluctantly stepped back.

Nick peered over the top of the stall and then hurdled the wall, coming down between the horse and Prue. "Whoa, big guy, whoa. Nobody's gonna hurt you." The horse calmed and stood still, looking at Nick curiously. "That's it, big guy, I'm here to help. Give me half a minute and I'll have her out of your space," he said, soothing the horse, and stroking its back.

While leaning down, Piper watched in amazement as Nick hoisted Prue up by her waist with his thick arm and then launched himself back over the wall to safety. She looked to Leo who seemed to know the behemoth of a man. "A friend of yours, I presume."

"Yeah," Leo said, preoccupied. Piper noticed his burning gaze on at the low neckline of her dress. "Like the view?" she muttered, flushing.

"Huh?" Leo startled.

"I said, do you like the dress?"

Leo's eyes swept over her, lingering where the material clung to her curves. He swallowed hard before saying in a husky voice, "You look beautiful."

Piper smiled and was about to thank him when Nick's low gravelly voice said, "I don't believe your sister was hurt."

Cradling Prue in his arms, he gently carried her back to the hay and laid her down. Her eyes fluttered and then opened, looking up into the chiseled face above her. "Hi," she said breathlessly.

"Prue?" Piper questioned. She wanted to make sure Prue was alright.

Prue waved her away, not taking her eyes off of Nick's face. "Don't wake me," she said groggily, one arm still encircling Nick's neck.

Piper tried again. "Prue, you're embarrassing yourself. Wake up."

"Piper?" Andy was sitting up and seemed to be trying to get a handle on the situation. He rubbed at his eyes and then looked again. "_Prue?_"

Prue's eyes opened wide. "Uh-oh."

Andy was struggling to his feet, his eyes throwing daggers at Nick. "Get away from her!"

Leo put a hand on Andy's chest, but Andy just knocked it away.

"Andy…" Piper said, leaping forward to ward off the confrontation, "he saved Prue's life."

Andy's glare didn't immediately give way. "What do you mean? What happened?" He grabbed his head. "We were just at the hardware store…"

xXx


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Ten

Leo swallowed hard; he knew the repercussions were going to be hard to weather when Piper found out the truth of his stow-away trip with her. But Andy was a different story. He was truly the innocent here, with no idea of the supernatural web he'd walked into. If only Nick had put him down when he was supposed to… He sighed—there was an old adage that went: Make good with the hand the Elders deal you. And right now he'd love to tell the Elders where they could shove those cards.

Andy was looking a little wild-eyed. "Is _anyone_ going to answer me?" He looked to each one of them, finally lingering on Prue.

Prue crawled over the hay toward Andy. "Come on," she extended her hand, "I'll tell you everything I know."

Piper jerked her head around, "You will?"

Andy took Prue hand and rose. "Can we start with, Where the hell are we?" he asked.

Prue avoided his gaze. "That's actually something I don't know. Not exactly." She took a deep breath before looking up at him earnestly. "That's where you take my hand and we walk out that door and find out."

"Prue, we can't split up," Piper said.

"No, we shouldn't," Leo echoed. Nick shook his head and said, "Not a good idea."

But Prue was tugging a befuddled Andy to the door of the stables. She wrenched the door open and turned to them. "And please, don't anyone follow us."

Leo was dumbfounded. He pointed after Prue and Andy, "Can't you stop them?" he asked Piper. It had just occurred to him that Prue had no idea how vulnerable she was with her powers null and void in a strange land and time. And he was at a loss on how to remind Piper of this fact without giving himself away.

But then Nick came to the rescue. "If they don't think the sentries are going to see them, then they're crazy. You girls seem to have forgotten we're on private land. Very private. We're what you would call 'intruders'."

Piper narrowed her eyes. "You seem to know a lot about this place without setting a foot outside the door… Besides don't you think if I could've stopped her, I would have?" Piper crossed her arms and huffed. "She's the most stubborn, exasperating female I know."

"I'll tail them," Leo said, starting for the door. If they were captured, he could orb them to safety and that was his main concern.

"You most certainly will not!" Piper called out.

Leo turned. "Don't worry, they won't see me. I promise."

Piper shook her head. "She's my sister and I have to respect her judgment." She looked to Nick. "If the guards find them, will they hurt them?"

"Probably not. There's an inquisition first—to settle their curiosity. In the meantime, though, they become dungeon fodder."

Piper's eyes grew wide. "Dungeon fodder!" She spun around and motioned to Leo, "Go! But don't let them see you. And don't get captured." She looked around the stables. "We've got to get out of here and into town." She looked at her wrist watch. They had less than seventy hours to find the Grail—and not a single clue to where it might be.

"Wait here until I get back," Leo told them. And as he reached the door he called out to Nick. "You won't let anything happen to her?"

Nick put his hands on his hips, casually. "Not while there's a breath in my body, bro." Then he bent down and picked up the paper bag Gideon had sent with them. "You're going to need this."

"Not this time," Leo answered, as he walked out of the stables.

xXx


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Eleven

Once Leo was outside he took a deep breath and marveled at the sight. Sitting on top of a

low hill, several hundred yards away from the stables, was one of the most majestic castles he had ever seen. Built of light-colored stone, it had two tall towers that seemed to pierce the blue sky overhead. Three banners of yellow, black, and red flew from the parapet, but from the distance where he stood he couldn't detect the family crest.

He could see Andy and Prue walking toward the small orchard to the west of the castle. Trees, he thought, would give them some cover. And no one seemed to notice their trespassing, as of yet—or at least no one had sounded the alarm.

With one final glance back at the stables, he orbed.

He appeared ahead of the pair and behind a large apple tree. Enough distance, he thought, to ensure Andy and Prue's privacy, yet he could still keep an eye on them.

He leaned against the trunk. Except for a slight rustle of the leaves in the breeze, it was peaceful. The sun's rays filtered through the trees' canopy enveloping him with a sense of fairy-like magic. Small blue-winged birds darted from tree limb to tree limb nearby as if undisturbed by his presence.

"Who are you?" a soft feminine voice asked in a low voice.

Leo spun around. The blond haired girl was standing some small distance away, but she edged closer as if testing her courage, gathering the material of her pale yellow gown in her hand so as not to trip.

"Are you a ghost?" she asked breathlessly.

Leo smiled at her. "I'm not a ghost—"

"But you appeared from nowhere…"

Inwardly Leo groaned. She'd seen him orb.

"And your manner of dress…is rather peculiar," she added, tilting her head so that the long single braid of her hair fell over her shoulder.

Leo looked down at his jeans, the green faded tee-shirt, even his white athletic shoes would seem out of place here. "I'm not from your land," he said, hoping she would accept that explanation.

She drew a deep intake of breath. "You are elven! Oh, I should have known from the light you brought!"

"Light?" Leo shook his head. "I'm sorry to intrude. I didn't know you were here. I'll leave." He raised his hand, about to orb, when she rushed forward. "_No, please don't go."_

He hesitated, wondering if he should orb out anyway. But there was something in her voice that kept him still. Something that tugged at the Whitelighter in him.

"Please," she pleaded, "I won't say a word to anyone, if that is what troubles you."

She was only a few feet away now. He could see the desperation in her dark blue eyes. Her teeth bit at her lower lip anxiously. She was young. Eighteen, nineteen at the most. And child-like in the way she approached him, as if she respected him as some mythical creature.

"Won't you stay and talk with me? I shan't take up too much of your time."

Leo looked out where Andy and Prue had stopped at the fringe of trees. He could still see them from here if trouble came.

He turned back to the girl. "My name is Leo." It seemed the only information he could safely offer.

She smiled shyly. "I'm Emaline of Havenwald," she raised her hand.

Leo bowed and then taking her hand, placed a small kiss on her slender fingers. Leaning back once more, Leo noticed the richness of her gown. "You live in the castle? It's called Havenwald?"

"Yes. Along with my sisters." Her gaze lowered and her tone took on a note of sadness. "We recently lost our mother to illness."

"I'm sorry…" Leo consoled. He immediately thought of the Charmed Ones, and their struggle to carry on without their mother.

She nodded. "I'm to be wedded in less than a week," she said, but Leo didn't hear the usual anticipation of a soon-to-be bride—perhaps her mother's death was still too fresh on her mind, he thought.

"I'm sure it'll be a happy occasion, something to look forward to after your loss."

She looked up and directly into his eyes, and speaking in a hushed voice, asked, "Can you be trusted?"

Leo was at odds as to where this was leading. "I—"

"May I see your Light?" she asked, holding out her hand.

For a moment, he just stared. Never had anyone so bluntly asked to see his Light orb.

She stood patiently while Leo contemplated her request, but then as if time were a great matter, she once more indicated her outstretched hand. "To know whether or not I can trust you, I must see your Light."

xXx

(Note: I'll be back for another update on Monday. Forgive the spotted updates this past week—it's been a crazy-crazy week. Have a great weekend. –Anna )


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Twelve

As Prue led Andy toward the copse of trees, she tried not to become overly excited by what she saw. She felt she needed to keep her composure as Andy was already staggering by her side with his eyes wide and his mouth open. It seemed he was carrying on a conversation with himself on whether or not what he was seeing was actually real—or some dream he'd yet awoke from.

Finally, as they came to the enclosure of trees, he turned to her. "Are we in Europe?"

"That would be my guess," she said, looking around the area. It appeared to be secluded enough for her purposes.

"But how…?"

She pointed to a fallen tree and they walked over and sat on its trunk.

She sat there for a moment trying to decide just where she should begin. And then, she sighed and said, "We seemed pretty normal when we were kids, didn't we? I mean, me and my sisters…we weren't weird or anything, right?"

Andy was astonished. "You want to talk about your childhood…at a time like this?"

Prue huffed lightly, "Just stick with it."

Agitated, Andy nodded and said, "Okay. No, you were not weird. I guess you and your sisters were as normal as anybody else." He shrugged. "Now, your grandmother, that's a different story."

Prue's head whipped around. "What was wrong with Grams?"

"I'm not saying she was weird," he said quickly, "just a little odd."

"Odd, weird. Aren't they both the same?"

Andy shook his head. "Weird isn't a word you use when you like the person."

Prue half-smiled and reached over to squeeze Andy's hand. "Okay. I get it. It'll be easier to explain this way at least." She took a deep breath. "Grams seemed odd for a reason." She peered at Andy out of the corner of her eye; she wanted to see his reaction to the bombshell she was about to reveal. He looked so innocent as he leaned in to hear her. So oblivious to witches and warlocks, demons and sorcerers, and the evil they caused. He knew only a small slice of it—the human evil. And it was in that instant that she almost backed down, thinking it kinder not to tell him.

She felt a slight sting in her eyes and knew she was close to tears, and fought them back. She had to turn away so Andy wouldn't see her struggle.

"Prue?" he asked. "What's wrong?" he gently turned her chin so that he could see her face.

She bit her lip in an attempt to keep it from quivering and giving her away. With her eyes tightly closed, she asked, "Why did you go into police work, Andy?"

"Because I hate the crud that prowl the streets of San Francisco. And because I hate injustice. And maybe, if I _didn't_ make a stand, that same crud might hurt somebody I really care about."

Prue leaned into Andy's shoulder. His reasons were pretty damn close to her own. What a wonderful lover and ally he could be…

And in the end she found that she could not give him up. For selfishness reasons or not, she desperately wanted him in her life. Andy, who she had known since a child, with all his intensity and willfulness that matched her own…

"Grams was odd because she was a witch," and there, the words were out. She could not take them back.

Andy straightened and took her by the shoulders as if she were an errant child. "What an awful thing to say about your grandmother!"

She laughed dryly. She'd forgotten that she'd have to be more literal with Andy. "She was a witch. _I'm_ a witch. Piper and Phoebe, too. My mother was a witch—we're a family of witches. And we come from a long line of witches. Magical hocus-pocus witches, with spells and potions, and certain powers."

Andy shook his head. "Are you trying to break up with me? Because I could've sworn we did that already and decided we were going to try to make this work. I thought we wanted to be together—"

"Andy. Listen. I'm telling you this so we can be together. _I am a witch_."

If anything, he seemed more skeptical as he clenched his jaw and stared at her.

"Okay, fine. I'll prove it." She pointed at a round stone on the ground about the size of her hand. "See that rock?"

"Yeah…"

"Hold your hand out," she directed him. And when he pinched the bridge of his nose and squeezed his eyes shut, she pulled his hand away and placed it in the air. "Keep it there."

She focused her intention on the stone, willing it to move to Andy's hand.

It didn't move.

She tried again.

But still the stone did not move.

xXx

(Don't worry, this scene will continue tomorrow. –Anna )


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Thirteen

Prue focused on other things around her, a pebble, a twig on the ground; not even a leaf would stir. She rubbed her eyes. The strain of trying to use a power that did not work was making her head ache fiercely. Her vision blurred and for a moment the helplessness she felt threatened to overwhelm her. They hadn't brought their powers with them. That had to be the reason. And they were now vulnerable…

Suddenly the gown she wore was unbearably heavy. She plopped back down on the log, stunned and humiliated.

"Prue, you're pale," Andy said, concerned. He stood up. "I'm carrying you back to the stable," he said, scooping her up in his arms despite her weak protests.

With her head against Andy's chest, she listened to Andy's heart drum away as he walked back to the others. She thought about Phoebe in the hands of Malachi, and what she must be going through. And how they had somehow brought Leo and Andy here by some cosmic mistake and were powerless to keep them safe. It must all be a terrible dream, and maybe, just maybe if she closed her eyes, when she opened them they'd all be safe at home…

"I wish you would believe me," she mumbled. "I'm a witch."

But when Andy said her name, she didn't respond. His voice came from far, far, away and she couldn't find her own voice to answer him as she slipped under.

xXx

Leo held an orb out in the palm of his hand and watched as Emaline leaned in and peered into the orb. Her eyes grew round and she smiled in amazement. "Your Light is pure!" She clasped onto his arm and looked up at him. "Who sent you to us? Oh!You have to allow me to tell to tell my sisters, Elainna and Estella. Don't worry; they will keep your secret. But you must tell me—was it the Great Wizard of Merl who sent you?"

"Huh?" Leo said, not sure he'd heard her right. "No, I think you have it wrong. I wasn't sent here to help—"

"Of course you were. There could be no other explanation. You are the Lighted-One. The saying goes, In the Time of Darkness, the Lighted-One will Show the Way. And you must agree—we are living in very dark times."

Leo glanced back in the direction that Andy and Leo sat. They were gone! "I have to go," he told Emaline.

"Not yet, please!" She still had a hold on his arm and he felt her grasp tighten.

"I have to," he said, pulling his arm away. He took a couple of steps but then she hurried and stepped in front of him, blocking his way.

"Will you come to the castle at darkfall?" she pleaded. "Up there," she pointed to the castle, "the tower facing the west. I must show you something."

Leo stared off in the distance searching for Andy and Prue, but the trees obstructed his vision. "I'll try," he said, trying to put her off. "I really have to go now."

Emaline was ecstatic. "Be very careful that you are not seen…try not to cross the meadows on foot," she said, as Leo began to fade from sight. "And if the Gargoyles confront you—show them your Light."

xXx

Andy placed Prue on the ground and leaned over her. "Prue? Wake up, honey." He looked back across the meadow; they were only half way to the stables. He patted her pale cheeks, trying to bring her out of the faint. Her eyes fluttered but then were still.

"Come on, Prue, wake up." But when he got no response, he went to pick her up again to hurry to the stables.

"Whoa there," a voice called out. His head jerked around and he nearly dropped Prue. A dozen or so armored men were marching toward him. Helmets hid their faces and long swords protruded from their belts. Helluva welcoming committee, he thought wryly. If he was dreaming, he'd better wake soon. But in his gut he knew he wasn't asleep. He could no more explain the fantastical events of the past few hours than explain rocket science, but they were somehow real. And he had to deal with it the best he could.

He looked back at the orchard and wondered if he'd make it in time. A split decision was made and he hefted Prue over his shoulder and ran as fast as he'd ever run in his life.

xXx


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fourteen

Leo orbed outside the stable doors. When he went in, he found Piper pacing the floor and Nick reclining in the hay.

Piper hurried over and looked behind Leo anxiously. "Well, where are they?" She went to the stable door and looked out, expecting to see Prue and Andy, but they weren't there.

Leo was just as dismayed as she was, since he'd expected Prue and Andy to have made it back minutes before he arrived. "I thought they were back already…I saw them heading this way."

Piper crossed her arms. "Stop kidding around."

"I'm serious. They were walking this way and I had to take a different route so they wouldn't see me. Maybe they're just taking their time."

Nick rose from the haystack. "Or maybe they got picked up. It was foolish to think the guards wouldn't see them in the first place. But nobody wants to listen to me. Why'd I even bother to come if I'm just going to be stuck in a livestock stable?" He jabbed his finger in the air. "You guys have got to listen to me if you expect to survive in these times."

"I think it's pretty clear that you should've been the one to look after Prue and Andy," Piper told Nick, as she glared at Leo.

Nick put his hands on his hips. "No, that's where you're wrong. If I had had my way, nobody would have left to go gallivanting on their own to talk about their personal problems. We have to stay together. The only time we should go outside these walls is at dark when we have a better chance of not being seen. Now it's going to be a lot harder to try and find your sister and her boyfriend while not getting caught. And it's going to be almost impossible to get into that castle undetected. Not even orbing in is going to be fail proof."

"What? Orbing? What do you mean?" Piper asked.

But Leo was remembering his earlier talk with Emaline. "Actually, it might not be all that difficult to get into the castle tonight."

The westward tower, Emaline had said. But then he remembered her last bit of advice, something about gargoyles…

xXx

PART THREE

Into the Hands of Darkness

Malachi walked the underworld tunnels, descending down further into the bowels of Hell. The Source had summoned him and he was fairly certain he knew why. Evidently some nosy slacker had informed the high priest of darkness that he had in his possession a Charmed One. It wasn't the most ideal situation; he would have to be crafty if he was to keep Phoebe and later the Grail for himself. Besides, it was doubtful that the Source knew his purpose in taking Phoebe.

The Source was waiting for him in the center chamber. Malachi could feel the palpable excitement flowing through the high priest; his dark robe rustled with eagerness. He was a restless sight in a dim room lit with only a few candles.

The red candle wax oozed from the wall sconces to drip and pool on the dirt floor. Such primitive quarters, Malachi thought. He'd never had the desire to be high priest of this place, Lord to all the sniveling demons and warlocks. He preferred his watery realm much more to this dry, suffocating cavern. Malachi suspected that the high priest knew he had no ambition for the dark priesthood. Therefore there was no real animosity between the two, and as a result, the high priest, The Source of all evil, generally left Malachi alone to his own devices.

"Malachi," the dark priest greeted him, "thank you for responding with haste."

Malachi bowed his head only slightly, finding it distasteful but necessary. "My dark Lord?"

"It has been brought to my attention that you have a Charmed One. Am I correct?"

Malachi smiled grimly, "You are."

"Excellent." The Source rubbed his grey hands together in anticipation. "I expect you to bring her to me at once. Of course, I will reward your loyalty."

Malachi hesitated. "My loyalty to you is as strong as ever. But I hold the Charmed One for a prize. Allow me to keep the witch until my ransom is met and then I will gladly give her over to you."

The dark priest considered Malachi for a moment before asking, "What is this great prize you desire so much you would risk taking a Charmed One? Perhaps I could do better."

Again Malachi smiled. "Well, it's a personal matter."

The Source gestured for Malachi to come closer, and Malachi obeyed warily.

"Malachi, you've never given me a reason to distrust you," he said, dipping his hand into a large caldron and taking the smoke up into his hand. "If this prize is something I cannot give you, then I will accept those terms. However, if you have lied to me…" And in a flash The Source seized Malachi's head in his smoke-filled hand, and the smoke entered his eyes, nose, mouth, and ears.

The dark priest stepped back in surprise. "The Grail?" He threw his cloaked head back and bellowed his wicked laughter to the tops of the cavern. Several dark shadows appeared along the wall, attracted by their master's cheerful mood; they swayed to the flickering dance of the candlelight as if under a strange spell.

The Source turned to these shadows and barked his orders. "Bring the Charmed One to me, at once."

xXx


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter Fifteen

When Phoebe woke, the first thing she noticed was the cold stone beneath her and the cool sensation of air drifting over her body. It seemed like forever since she'd felt air, breathed air, and she nearly choked as she gasped it into her lungs. Someone was arguing in the room; the shouting was vicious. She was on some sort of stone platform, and surrounded by golden bars. And there was a weight around her throat that had not been there before, she quickly realized —her hands went up to her neck where a metal collar rested snuggly against her skin. She pulled at it but it would not loosen. Meanwhile, the shouting began to grow painful, and she removed her hands from the alien collar in order to cover her ears.

"You dare to defy me! I will tell you only once more to take the collar from the witch's neck."

Malachi crossed his arms and rocked back and forth on his feet, seemingly unaffected by the dark priest's threats. "That collar is my insurance. If something were to _mysteriously_ happen to me, then, the witch dies as well. And I do know how you want the Charmed One alive for your own purposes…"

"I should turn your soul to dust right now," the Source growled.

"No, dear leader, _You_ should realize what an opportunity this is. This way, we both get what we want. You get Phoebe, and we share the Grail. Those are my terms and you'll just have to take them 'as is'. As I will not have my soul turned to dust the minute I remove the collar."

The Source chuckled menacingly. "I should never have underestimated you, Malachi." He turned to study Phoebe behind the bars of her prison. "But I have different plans. Maybe those plans will suit us both."

Malachi's red head cocked to the side at the dark priest's words. "Really? I'm listening."

"I'm going to send the witch back to her sisters—"

"_Are you insane?_" Malachi said in an outburst. "I did not go to such troubles to _acquire_ the witch just so you can send her back!"

Instantly, the Source raised his arms in the arm in anger. "Silence! Do you forget _who_ you speak to? I'm growing irritated with your insolence, _underling_!" He paced in front of the cage, his anger barely suppressed.

Malachi grew quiet, not wanting to push the dark priest too far. He fought back the pride swelling deep in his throat, and swallowed it down. "I apologize. Please, go on."

The Source turned his back on Malachi and walked to the cage where Phoebe now stood with her hands clutching the bars. Her eyes were glazed with hatred as she stared at her captors.

The Source laughed at her helplessness. "She's like a feral kitten. Spitting and hissing." He reached out as if to touch her hand, but Phoebe recoiled back to the center of the cage, calling him every fowl name she could think of. The dark priest shrugged indifferently and returned his attention back to Malachi and the point he was making. "If we send the witch back to her sisters—with the collar binding her to us—it will surely inspire them to work harder to find the Grail."

But Malachi wasn't quite convinced. "It may, or it may not…"

"Oh, it will. I assure you. For you see, I plan to take a little of your soul every hour until the Grail is presented to us. Think of it…to have to watch your own sister grow weak every hour…now _that_ is a great incentive to get the job done quickly." The Source gestured toward the cage as he asked Malachi, "Don't you agree?"

But Malachi was biting down his own anger again. He knew by now that the dark priest had won. Malachi might escape banishment, but the Source would gain everything else, including the Grail. And if he'd had the power right then, he would have torn the evil priest from limb to limb.

Again, the dark priest turned to Phoebe, delighted with his scheme. Rubbing his hands together, he said lowly, "The Grail for a witch. A Charmed One. Even I cannot pass up that trade." He walked down the side of the cage, his eyes following Phoebe. "But know this, witch…it is the only relic I would trade you for."

xXx


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter Sixteen

Leo stood outside the stable door. He'd changed into the dark purple tunic that Gideon had sent so that he blended in with the night. It was going to be tricky orbing into an area of the castle that wasn't occupied, and after a moment of thought, he decided that the staircase to the tower that Emaline had spoken of was probably the safest. And so with his destination in mind, he orbed.

The castle was as dark within as it was from the outside. The passage way leading to the winding staircase didn't have a single torch lit to show the way, causing Leo to fumble along the stone walls with his hands. And when the walls curved, and the steps to the tower began, he tripped over the first one. Picking himself up, he carefully felt for each step until he was moving up the spiral staircase with some amount of ease. The staircase was growing narrow when he turned to stare into the darkness behind him. He thought he'd heard something. Just a rustle, but it was enough to cause him to stop and listen. Probably just a rodent, he thought. He took another step, and was about to take another when suddenly there was the swooshing of air and he found his upper-arms clasped; and before he knew what was happening, he was lifted in the air and flying blindly upwards through the blackness.

After the initial shock, Leo looked up to see what held him. But in the darkness he could only see the faint black outline of wide wings, the flap of which was almost silent, almost leathery as it whipped the air. And then, with Leo in its clutches, it shot out of one of the wide openings above the roof of the hall and into the starry night.

xXx

He was flying over the treetops, making wide circles. And then the creature dove, and Leo closed his eyes as the ground came up to meet them.

When he opened his eyes, he was lying face up, looking at the stars. But then a shadow leaned over him and two slanted, orange eyes glared down on him. And there was no doubt now what the creature was, although he'd never seen one face to face. Gargoyle, his mind whispered as Emaline's warning replayed through his head from that afternoon. Show him your Light, she'd said. So he slowly lifted his hand and the orb appeared, revealing the devilish creature in all its hellish form, from the folded bat-like wings, to the ferociously, long, curved teeth, to the steel-like talons that had clasped and held him in flight. Even as the creature stared down on him, Leo had a difficult time believing it was real. No demon or monster he'd ever come across had been as grotesque as this creature; it was torture meeting its penetrating and fiery eyes.

The creature bared his teeth and Leo turned his head away. It was only after the gargoyle leaned back on its massive haunches and its eyes lost their killing-intent that Leo realized that the creature wasn't snarling at all, rather it was grinning, as if Leo amused it.

Leo relaxed and sighed. "Are you going to let me inside the castle, now?" he mused aloud.

And in one fluid motion the gargoyle leapt from its haunches and clasped Leo's arms, and once again they were flying through the star-lit sky; this time toward the dark mountain-like castle.

xXx

(Note: Next chapter: Phoebe's return (sort of)…for all you Phoebe fans out there.)

Love & Light to You,

—Anna


End file.
